When at-risk and special-needs kids bunk together at camp

By Abigail Klein Leichman

During the summer of 2019, two at-risk teens – Or, 18, and Ben, 17 – came to a unique sleepaway camp run by My Piece of the Puzzle, an Israeli nonprofit that integrates youth at risk and youth with special needs.

From day one, these boys were aiming to get kicked out.

“They didn’t follow directions at all, did whatever they wanted and weren’t nice to me or any of the counselors,” says cofounder Jenna Elbaz.

“They made fun of the rules, smoked cigarettes during activities, made fun of the other campers – both youth at risk and youth with special needs. They threatened that if they didn’t get their own room they would leave.”

On the second day their behavior only got worse, so they were asked to leave. “We don’t believe in giving up on anyone, but we felt like they weren’t keeping themselves and the other campers safe,” explains Elbaz.

Before Ben and Or finished packing, a shy lowfunctioning 14-year-old camper approached. “Tomorrow we have horseback riding. Can you help me get on the horse?” he asked them.

That changed everything. The boys begged Elbaz and cofounder Shaked Karp to give them another chance.

“For the rest of the week they were amazing. They helped us with other campers who misbehaved and became very close with that camper with special needs,” says Elbaz.

“On the last full day of camp, a friend of theirs was killed in a car accident. They were crying and we asked them if they would like to go home, but they said no. They chose to stay with all of their new friends until the end of camp.”

OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING

In a classic example of young Israelis taking extraordinary leadership initiative, Elbaz and Karp started My Piece of the Puzzle in their mid-20s.

After finishing military service, they had gone to New York to work at a summer camp that accepts a hodgepodge of troubled kids and special-needs kids unsuited to other camps.

“We saw that if you pair at-risk kids with those with special needs, something magical happens,” says Karp.

“This togetherness makes each population improve because kids with special needs usually stay together and don’t connect with others. And when kids at risk meet special-needs kids it opens their minds and makes them realize how much they can do for others.”

She and Elbaz got permission to bring a few at-risk Israeli teens to the camp the following four summers.

Wanting to benefit more teens, they innovated their own model of purposefully integrating the two groups at a free sleepaway camp in Israel for 14- to 18-year-olds. They decided to assign an even number of special-needs and atrisk campers to each bunk.

One of the first volunteer counselors was a young man they’d brought to New York several years before.

“It took us a long time to convince people that it’s possible and that the combination strengthens everyone.”

Left: Counselor Tali Yechieli with My Piece of the Puzzle campers.

GETTING KIDS OUT OF THE BOX

Elbaz and Karp introduced some unique elements to their program.

The main innovation is that My Piece of the Puzzle campers build relationships during the year so that they don’t come to camp as strangers.

This is accomplished by partnering with one at-risk and one special-needs school in cities from north to south.

Future campers meet regularly at the schools, which serve diverse populations; Karp says two Bedouin schools may be joining the program. Some of the teachers work as advisers in the summer camp.

Another unique aspect of My Piece of the Puzzle is community service. One summer, campers delivered handmade puppets and costumes to a kindergarten for kids with autism. Another summer they crafted magnets as gifts for hospital workers.

My Piece of the Puzzle, an Israeli summer camp integrating at-risk and special-needs teenagers.

Supported by donations, My Piece agreed. “I felt like he just wanted to of the Puzzle operates on the 60-acre go home,” she explains. Jordan River Village in northern Israel, Surprisingly, Nimrod did not want which runs programs for children with to leave early. He was determined to disabilities or serious diseases. Elbaz, perform at the talent show on the last who has a degree in criminology and night of camp. education, worked at Jordan River “In My Piece of the Puzzle, we Village for two years. celebrate success and we set personal

Karp, now finishing law and goals with every camper. We know psychology studies, says My Piece of the that our campers have very low selfPuzzle will expand. esteem and we believe in celebrating

“We are spreading around our idea Founders Jenna Elbaz and big and small successes such as and vision because we see that it’s Shaked Karp. following directions, making new successful. Teachers in the schools we friends, stepping out of their comfort are working with see the benefits of helping these kids get zone, trying new things, kicking a ball, sharing their talent out of the box. We really think this will benefit them and with their friends, helping each other and more,” says Elbaz. society.” “Nimrod was very distant at first, but because he didn’t give up and came to every activity instead of going home, NIMROD TAKES THE STAGE he saw the amazing energy that the counselors have, he

Nimrod, 14, came to My Piece of the Puzzle in the saw how other people stepped out of their comfort zone summer of 2017. Although he’s on the high-functioning and most important of all, he felt like he was in a safe end of the autistic spectrum, he didn’t interact with anyone enough environment in order for him to get up on the – not even the three classmates he came to camp with. stage and sing.”

“His mom and I spoke to each other every day because I really wasn’t sure he was having fun,” says Elbaz. “I didn’t For more information, visit see him smile or connect with any of his friends or anyone mypieceofthepuzzle.wixsite.com/mpop. new.”

Nimrod’s mother wanted to pick him up a day before Article courtesy ISRAEL21c. the end of the session to attend a family event, and Elbaz The piece first appeared on israel21c.org on Jan. 19, 2020.